How do you take product photos?

Hello,
I am trying to take some top quality product photos for my new website. I am trying to take photos of soap and different bathroom related products which are all a small scale. but i have tried to surround it with white sheets of paper but the bkground comes out grey. I have then tried to crop the bkground out but it is too difficult, anyone got any ideas?

i have tried to surround it with white sheets of paper but the bkground comes out grey.

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That's exactly what your camera is trying to do...make everything gray. If you had used black paper, it probably would have been a shade of gray too.

A camera's meter is set up to expose for an average, neutral scene. So if you give it all white paper, the camera will think it's too bright and underexpose (so you must add exposure). If you use a mostly black scene, the camera will think it's too dark and overexpose (so you must subtract exposure).

As mentioned, try adding some light and give one or two more stops of exposure over what the meter is telling you.

i dont think he suspended the gun at all. its laying down on the paper or floor right?

I believe it was digital matt who told me to get a big piece of white paper and sit it on the ground with part of it leaning against the wall...that should provide a good background. the real task is getting some good lighting.